Pie Society Bar — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

I think that some people take the notion of a "speakeasy" too literally. The real one's are as cool as they come, but not to take away from something as unqiue and unassuming as Pie Society. They do not have a password, a security guard, no hidden doors or tunnels, but sling some of the best cocktails in the county.

It's small, it's dark, but it's not secret. You'll be disappointed if you come for the craft beer because they specialize and are almost exclusively a craft cocktail bar. They make their own mixers, bitters, juices, and use the freshest garnish's and highest quality spirits. Each bartender is not some bar back pouring beers, each is skilled in the craft and pretty true to the game and the industry.

I started coming here before the Social exodus and many people were loyal to the establishment and others the bartenders. I'm loyal to my butcher and by barber, but when you drink as much as I do and all over the place like I do it's not that I can be that picky. The décor is a little weird with the Ali picture. I like the furniture, but it could use less bar stools to allow for more ordering. 2 bartenders and a barback work plenty fast, but what annoys me most is when the bar is 2-3 deep and there is no rotation. The etiquette necessary for old time speakeasy type bars is lost on a few generations of people. Conversations with staff is good as all are friendly. Service is amazing and the food menu from next door are limited. Most people don't eat while here.

Love the side patio and never notice any smoke lingering in. I think that's due to the coastal breezes. They do need more ash trays. The music is lacking and to me limits the social vibe. It's a bit of an industry bar seeing servers, bartenders from all over lounge here. Things I like are the fact they carry Fernet, Dickel, Templeton along with small batch varieties of dozens of spirits.

Tip: the ginger batches are inconsistent so sometimes your mule comes like fire and others mellow. I actually like the inconsistency because it proves it's fresh. Price is actually pretty reasonable as most people who drink 4 cocktails paying $8 each would only need 3 here because of the proper mixing.

They do a tasting series which they bring in reps from various spirit companies which is awesome. They specialty cocktails are extremely well thought out and are sure to please anyone looking to step up from the usual jack and coke so many people are used to.

Go to Pitfire and past the bathrooms and straight through the door...

Delightful little speakeasy tucked behind a Pizza Place. Happy Hour gets you $3 off a pizza and discounted drinks/apps, try the flat bread and ricotta.

Entrance is on the rear side of the building in the parking lot, past the wood pile, and through a wooden door that is usually propped open. You can also enter through the restaurant if you walk past the bathrooms and through the private party room in the back.

Not an enormous place: standard sized but well equipped bar, 2 couches and coffee tables, and maybe 10 tables that two people could eat at or 4 people stand around. You can order off the pizza place's menu for food, the drinks never run much more than $12-15 and they're exactly what you'd want. Martini variations, egg white gin fizzes, whiskey and/or whisky concoctions.

Unless you've reserved the private room I would say it's not an ideal for large groups. A group of 30 or so came in to wait for dinner in the private room while I was there. Poor bartenders were swamped and there's no dedicated wait staff so those of us eating dinner were stuck in limbo while the mojito assembly line was running.

Bartender was super apologetic once it cleared out again, continued to give great service.

Tips: a single pizza is probably enough to split with someone if you're also getting appetizers. Grilled cauliflower is a little spicy but delicious. A Vesper is just Martini with Lillet Blanc,...

This speakeasy style bar has a great location and a fun ambience. The photos on here will do a better job depicting the place than my words. The focus is on house cocktails, with a couple of mediocre beer and wine offerings.

I used to frequent the place. It started off nice, but it was hard to establish a sense of community with a constantly rotating cast behind the bar. After the original crew left, it always seemed like the bartenders we're learning, and nobody seems to have taken ownership. The current bartenders and servers do not engage much with the customers. The other day I was celebrating a friend's birthday, and I watched a bartender berate a customer when she was closing up and clearly wanted everyone out (there was still 10 minutes to the posted...